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Topic Review (Newest First)

08-29-2003 06:16 PM

teebird8023

rod drying

remenber, when drying a rod you need to cover it with some type of box or something to keep any dust from getting on the finish! Also, the way the finish is mixed can make a difference on the final outcome of the rod. I follow recommendations from flex-coat.

gary

08-17-2003 03:19 PM

Darren Evans

Here's the finished product for my home-built rod wrapper. Just waiting for the thread tensioners to arrive, then it will be complete.

Another step closer to making my first rod.

08-13-2003 02:36 PM

deweywh

Hi Darren,
Someone earlier in this thread mentioned rodbuilding.org. That is an excellent resource and very helpful.
On your suppliers and costs note: on that site there are a number of sponsors that offer all types of blanks and supplies.
Dewey

08-13-2003 10:37 AM

Darren Evans

Ok, while I'm out running around this week to gather materials for making my stands I thought I would throw this up for answers...

I see post after post on other sites about making a "quality rod" for $50 or less. I guess I'm not going to the right web sites for components, because my tallies haven't gotten under $90-100 range. Looking for some feedback on where to shop inexpensively but maintaining quality.

08-10-2003 07:35 AM

BobK

Wow! That's pretty fancy!

Yeah - as a kid, I used to build bamboo rods and wrap them using a cardboard box with v-notches cut in the ends, padded with felt to avoid scratching, and using a fly-tying bobbin as a thread tensioner, and it worked fine. (Some of those old bamboo rods are still in use today by family members!)

All this talk about rodmaking is getting me itchy!

BobK

08-10-2003 12:11 AM

Darren Evans

flytyer, thanks for the long description of what I need. I also found someone who makes the wrapper stands and offers his plans via email. I'm still anxiously waiting for a reply back. Here's a photo of his stand.

Can't wait to get started.

08-09-2003 10:38 PM

flytyer

Darren,

Wrapper stands can be made very easily by cutting 1X4 boards into sections that are between 4 and 5 inches long for the base of the wrapper stand. Then sut some uprights out of the same 1X4 board that are 4 inches long. Then simply srew the uprights and bases together by drilling pilot hole in the bases (you will need 2 screws for each one), then hold the drilled bases against the edge of the uprights and mark the holes by putting a nail through the holes and making a small indention in the bottom edge of the uprights. Drill pilot holes in the uprights.

Next, cut a V-notch in the uprights on the side opposite the pilot holes. Glue some felt to the V-notches (you can get the felt at a craft store), 2 layers of felt work best. The felt keeps the rod blanks from getting all scatched up.

Then screw the bases and uprights together. (Yes, you need to drill the pilot holes or the 1X4 pieces will split). After the uprights and bases are screwed together, glue some felt dots (get tham at a hardware store they are sold as cabinet stops and made to place on kitchen cabinets to keep them from making noise when closed).

This will provide you with a very good set of rod wrapping stands. Also, I recommend that you make yourself 3 stands to better support rod sections over 24 inches long.

A rod dryer, used to keep the thread wrap finish from sagging and running, can be made by purchasing a low-RPM electric motor (5 RPM to about 20 RPM work best) screwed to a wrapping stand. These motors are easy to find (Ebay, hardware stores) and inexpensive ($7.00 to about $30.00). To finish the rod dryer, go to a hardware store and buy a threading sleeve that just fits over the ourput shaft of the motor you bought, 2 nuts and a 3/4 to 1 inch bolt that the nuts fit, a 1 3/4 diameeter PVC pipe cap, a 3/8 inch thumb srews (you need 3 of these), and 3 vinyl bolt covers to cover the end of the thumb screws (these keep the rod from getting scratched and marred). Glue the threaded sleeve to the motor shaft with rod ferrule cement or 5-minute epoxy. After the glue is set up (it takes about 30 seconds with ferrule cement) or hardened (about 30 minutes with 5-minute epoxy), you can mount the chuck (made with the PVC pipe cap and thumb screws) to the threqaded sleeve with the bolt.

The chuck is made by drilling a hole the diameter of the bolt you needed for the threaded sleeve in the center of the PVC pipe cap. You also need to drill 3 holes (placed so that each one is 1/3 of the way around the cap from the previous one) in the side of the PVC pipe cap that are slightly smaller than 3/8 inch thumb screws, which will be screwed into these holes. Assemble the chuck by screwing the 3 thumb screws into the cap and place the vinyl screw covers over the threaded ends of the thumb srews.

After this put the bolt through the center of the PVC cap, place nut on the bolt and tighten up to the cap. Last place the secone nut on the bolt and screw the bolt into the threaded sleeve you have glued to the output shaft of the motor. Run the second nut up tight to the threaded sleeve to hold everything good, and solid and your dryer is finished.

08-08-2003 02:34 PM

Robert Meiser

Darren,

Another excellent and reliable source of info for all things related to rod building would be to check out: www.rodbuilding.org.

This is Tom Kirkman's "RodMaker" magazine site. Great question and answer board.

Have fun building those rods !

Bob Meiser

08-08-2003 02:24 PM

Darren Evans

Do you gents know of any plans/schematics on the net for making your own wrapper stands?

08-08-2003 11:56 AM

Darren Evans

Ouch! Hope the finger feels better, Fred.

08-08-2003 07:15 AM

BobK

Hey, Fred -

Sorry about the finger. Hope you had a stiff drink of single-malt "germ killer" so you suffer no ill effects!

Just goes to prove my saying - "as we get older, we don't get any smarter, just more experienced!"

Hope the finger isn't sore!

BobK

08-08-2003 03:50 AM

fredaevans

Being a (fairly) honest guy..

a blank on that from the past. But offer of info is always open to board members. Typing is the pits tonight.... trip to the Emerg. room to get a #4 2x double weight hook out my finger.

Dumb, dumb, dumb. Bob M, JD, and I were on the upper Rogue this evening (CASEY PARK IS CHOCK A BLOCK WITH FISH), pulling rods out of car ... and drove a hook into my finger. Dumb s... here hadn't pinched the barb down on the darn thing ....

But end game was the Doc's gave me 4 really great hemostats for my vest(s) and a promise that I'd take one out and introduce him to spey rods.

Strange ending to another wise good evening.

08-08-2003 03:03 AM

Darren Evans

Thanks for the feedback. I'm looking forward to building some fly rods with my dad.

Fred... I posted here a while back when I was first getting started in fly fishing. You may remember me bugging you about finding spots near Medford when I was on my way up to my grandfather's house in Stanfield. I live in Lakewood, which is just northeast of Long Beach.

I'll pick up a few books this weekend at Bob Marriott's fly store.

Thanks again. I'm sure I will post more questions later.

08-07-2003 10:13 PM

flytyer

Darren,

Simply do a search using Google of "rod building supplies" and you will find a multitude of suppliers. Prices for rod dryers, rod wrappers, reamers, files, etc are pretty much the same (for the same level of equipment) regardless of who you buy them from. Likewise rod blanks are priced by the blank manufacturers and they run from around $40.00 to $500.00 depending on material, type, and length of blank.

I recommend that he get himself a copy of a good rod building book as a reference and that he read it before he even begins to buy the rod building equipment or blank and accoutrments to finish the rod. The best books are by Dale Clemens and Art Sheck.

08-07-2003 02:03 PM

fredaevans

Most complete catalog I've seen with rod ..

building supplies is the Angler's Workshop out of Woodland, WA. Pages and pages and pages all aimed at the home rod builder.

And, welcome another "Evans."

What part of the country are you from?
fae

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